


Another Song

by obsessedsoul



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M, Gen, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Time Babies, timebabies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2013-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-18 11:59:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5927527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obsessedsoul/pseuds/obsessedsoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River discovers that she's pregnant... again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Encore

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this in 2012-2013 so please be kind! I still need to overhaul it.

River and The Doctor sat on the glass floor of the TARDIS console room, cooing, clapping, and 'ah'-ing at their baby girl as she played with her blocks.

"Good girl Freya!" River praised, clasping her hands together as her daughter successfully stacked three blocks on top of one another.

"What? She gets praised for  _three_ blocks? Three is boring!" The Doctor whispered to River.

"Sweetie, she's a  _baby."_ River reminded him.

"Yes, but it's just… _boring…_ " He sulked.

River laughed at her man-child of a husband. "Well then, sweetie, help her stack them higher!"

The Doctor's eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"Freya! Hey, here, look!" He said, shaking a block to attract his baby's attention. "Look what Daddy's doing!" With a flourish, he placed the block on top of those Freya had already stacked. The infant stared with wide eyes, completely captivated. She wildly bounced her arms up and down with glee and then knocked the blocks over with a swipe of her tiny fist.

"Freya!" The Doctor exclaimed with feigned anger. His daughter giggled in response.

"You just think you're so funny, don't you?" He said, reaching out to scoop his baby up into his arms so he could kiss and tickle her.

"Sweetie, why don't you, um…" All the color suddenly drained from River's face. She covered her mouth with her hand and quickly stood up.

The Doctor stared at his wife with concern. "River, are you alright?"

She didn't respond; she just dashed out of the room.

The TARDIS, bless her, rearranged the doors of the main corridor so River had time to make it to the bathroom before she heaved up the contents of her stomach.

She groaned into the toilet bowl. She couldn't remember the last time she had vomited. It must have been before… _Oh no._

"Sweetie!" She called down the hallway as she rushed back into the console room, her voice slightly panicked.

"What? What?" Her husband responded, completely confused and worried: his wife seldom acted this way.

"Perform full body scan on River Song!" She called out to the TARDIS.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor said, scrambling to get to his feet. He bent down to pick up Freya and then walked over to meet his wife in front of the console screen. He stared at her, and then the screen, entirely perplexed as to what she was doing. The screen whirred with Gallifreyan symbols as the TARDIS scanned River's body.

"Oh my." Was all River managed to utter when she saw the results of the scan.

The Doctor looked at his wife with disbelief. Sheer disbelief and a bit of panic.

"River are…are…you-" he stuttered.

"Pregnant." She finished for him. "Again."


	2. Accompaniment

**Several weeks later...**

"Go see Mummy!" The Doctor whispered to Freya as he placed her down on the bed. The baby had a giant smile plastered on her face as she scrambled to crawl over the covers towards her sleeping mother. The Doctor grinned as he watched his little girl collapse on top of River's chest, gasping with laughter.

River let out a light groan in response to the sudden presence of her daughter's weight upon her. Very slowly, her eyes fluttered open.

"Mmmm…Hello Freya…" River whispered. The baby was so overjoyed to see her mother awaken; she bounced her little body up and down, her cheeks growing chubby as she smiled, her eyes bright with excitement.

"She was asking for you," The Doctor explained.

River chuckled, her heart warming with love at the sight of her little girl's happiness. She wrapped a hand around her baby's tiny, perfectly pudgy waist, the other tenderly playing with the bouncy curls on top of her cherubic head. Freya snuggled up against her mother's chest and River planted a gentle kiss upon her face. She giggled in response to the lips tickling her skin, and kicked her legs lightly.

"Oh, Freya, gentle. Gentle," River reminded her as she felt the infant's kicks against her stomach. "What's in Mummy's belly?"

The Time Baby rocked her body happily and somehow managed to shimmy off her mother's chest. River helped her sit up, and The Doctor perched himself on the side of the bed next to his daughter, holding her back in case she wobbled backwards. Freya's gaze was fixed on her mother's belly. She reached a hand out, her eyes wide with curiosity and wonder. River sat herself up and lowered the bed cover, revealing the small swell of her abdomen under her nightgown. With a happy giggle, Freya lurched forward; she laid her tiny palms on top of the bump, her head coming down slowly to rest between them as if she was listening for something under her mother's skin. There was a beautiful, bright smile upon her face.

"Good girl, Freya," River whispered as she played affectionately with her daughter's curls.

The Doctor chuckled as he watched his little daughter cuddling with River's stomach.

"What is she saying now?" River asked, attempting to suppress an eye roll.

"She says she can't wait for her baby to get out of Mummy's tummy."

" _Her_  baby?"

"Yes. She's become quite attached, you know." He rubbed the girl's back soothingly.

River chuckled. "I don't blame her."

Freya's continued babbling prompted River to ask The Doctor, although she was loath to do it, "What's she saying now?"

The Doctor ruffled his brow, looking slightly upset.

"What?"

With a huff, he answered, "She wants you and the baby to come play with her…"

"Oh, Freya," River sighed, "I can't go play, my love. Mummy's got to stay in bed."

"She's got to rest to keep Baby healthy," The Doctor explained.

Freya pouted, her grip on her mother's stomach becoming tighter.

"Now, now Freya, don't sulk," The Doctor said. His eyes suddenly lit up with an idea. "I'll be right back."

He dashed out of the room. River was quizzical as to what her husband was doing, but she was used to his strange whims; instead, she turned her attention back to her daughter.

"Come here, love," she whispered to Freya, stretching her arms out to prompt the infant to stand. River wrapped her arms around the baby and drew her in close to her chest.

"Oh I love you so much," she cooed, tickling Freya's belly lightly, making her squirm with delight. River laughed softly in response.

"My sweet girl," River added, sweeping away a loose curl from her daughter's eyes, "I know you don't understand why I can't be with you more…"

She paused as her husband re-entered the room, his arms full of books and baby toys.

"Oh Freya look!" River said, pointing to her husband. The baby turned her head, and upon seeing the toys, bounced happily up and down.

"Toys!" The Doctor proclaimed as he laid them down on the bed. "There you are Freya," he said, passing her the baby adipose plushie. She took it with eager hands and after squishing it against her face, proceeded to run it down River's body, babbling and laughing as she did.

River smiled at her little girl playing. She looked to her husband, only to find that his expression did not match hers. His eyes were full of darkness, staring into to space.

"Sweetie." She laid her hand on his wrist. "What is it?"

The Doctor gave River a gloomy look and exhaled guiltily. River knew exactly what he was thinking about.

"Sweetie, don't you dare worry about me and the baby," she reassured him, "You don't need to waste the energy. We will be absolutely fine."

 _Yes but last time you and Freya nearly died,_ The Doctor thought. But instead of verbalizing his worry, he produced a feigned smile. He took her hand in his and brought it up to his lips for a kiss. "I hope so…"


	3. Requiem

The Doctor woke just as he hit the ground. He surmised that he must have fallen out of the swing chair while working because he had a perfect view of the glass floor of the TARDIS console. Murmuring to himself about making sure he never dozed off again, he managed to, with some stumbling, stand up and dust himself off. He bent over to pick up his sonic screwdriver from off the floor and put it in his coat pocket. That was when he heard the most wonderful sound: Freya's laughter. Smiling to himself, he decided to ascend the stairs and see what she was up to. He found her in the kitchen, milk sputtering from her mouth as she attempted to chew her cereal mid-laugh. He followed her eye line and saw to his amusement that she was laughing at none other than her baby brother. River sat in front of the highchair where their second-born was perched, attempting to feed him a spoonful of some interesting looking mush, but he wasn't having it.

"Oh, sweetie, c'mon please," River begged with a fake pout as the infant scowled and turned his head at the sight of the spoon. "It's mashed bananas. They're your favorite."

She attempted to entice his by making ridiculous train sounds but it was to no avail. The little boy was simply too stubborn.

"Good morning!" The Doctor announced with laughter in his voice. He went over and patted his four-year-old daughter on the head, and then kissed his wife on the cheek.

"Mmmm…" River hummed in approval.

The Doctor sat down in the chair next to River. She stared at him with a quizzical expression.

"What?"

River smiled mischievously. "You missed" she purred.

"What?" The Doctor was dumbfounded.

River rolled her eyes and placed the banana-filled baby spoon on the highchair tray. She leaned in close to her husband and claimed his lips.

"Ewwwwww!" Freya cried, causing her parents to stop their morning PDA session. River and The Doctor looked at their daughter with amusement. She had covered her eyes with her hands and there was a distinct grimace on her face.

River laughed at the sight of her expression. "What's the 'ew' for?" she asked, already full-well knowing the answer.

"You kissed Daddy…" Freya said, blushing.

In response, River, ever the antagonist, grabbed her husband by the jacket and continued to kiss him. Freya buried her head in her hands, little murmurings of 'ew' escaping through her fingers.

Her baby brother, on the other hand, thought the entire spectacle to be absolutely hilarious. He was giggling and bouncing madly in his chair, his little tufts of red hair going wild.

"Muah!" River emphasized as she planted one last kiss on her husband.

Freya's face was now hiding underneath her giant mop of curly golden hair as she pressed it against the table in disgust.

The Doctor's face was a combination of surprise and arousal, which resulted in a mad twitching of his eyebrows.

River chuckled, relishing in the effect she had on her family.

"Well, at least someone doesn't think their Mummy and Daddy kissing is utterly disgusting," she cooed, tickling her son's tummy. The baby squirmed with glee.

"Oh yes, there's my little boy!" River fussed as she kissed his tiny little hands. "Will you eat your bananas now? Hmmm?"

The scowl returned to his face at the suggestion.

The Doctor snorted with laughter.

"And just what are you laughing at?" River demanded of him.

"He says he can feed himself…"

"Oh really now? Does he?" River said, looking back to her son. "Well, let's see then, shall we?"

She dumped the baby food on to the high chair tray. Immediately, the boy's eyes lit up and he dug both his hands right into the pile and attempted to shove his fistfuls of mashed bananas into his mouth at once, but more of it dribbled down his chin than into his mouth.

"That's not how you do it, silly," Freya stated bossily. She climbed down from her chair and hopped over to the high chair.

"Here," she said, handing her brother the banana-filled spoon, "You use this."

As with anything that was within arms' reach, the Time Baby decided that this too must be shoved into his mouth. And by doing so, he inadvertently fed himself a spoonful of bananas.

"Yay!" River praised, clapping her hands in delight.

The Doctor's hearts swelled with pride as he watched his tiny son wave the spoon about joyously at what he'd just done. He was so happy, so lucky to have this beautiful family.

But suddenly, the laughter faded and everything went to black.

The next thing he heard was River gasping. It took The Doctor a few moments before he realized he had been dreaming. He lay in bed next to River, who was still pregnant with their second child- a daughter, not a son. Freya was still an infant herself; he could hear her crying in the nursery across the hall. He was just about to get out of bed to tend to her when he heard River gasp again, this time distinctly in pain. He quickly turned the bedside table light on.

"River, are you alright?"

She didn't respond. She was shaking, her face twisted in pain.

And then he saw it: the red glistening on her fingertips that matched a fresh red stain on the bed.

River looked to him, her eyes wide with fear for their unborn child.

"I'm bleeding," she whispered with fright.


	4. Lament

River lay in a hospital bed at The Sisters of the Infinite Schism, her face grim as the nurses examined her.

"Now, Doctor Song, can you describe the pain you're feeling?" Sister Mira gently asked as she conducted a pelvic exam.

"Oh, um…" River winced as she felt another sharp stab in her stomach. "Well, it feels a bit like contractions, but more painful."

"Have you experienced this discomfort before?"

River glanced over to the other nurse who was inserting an IV into her arm. "I had complications with my daughter," she answered, momentarily distracted. "She was born a few weeks premature."

"And what happened?" Sister Mira inquired further.

River exhaled deeply and rolled her head back against the pillow before she continued. "It was a lot like this…but more extreme. I lost a lot of blood and she… she nearly died." It had happened so long ago, but it was still difficult for her to say.

The nurse's nose twitched in response as finished with her pelvic exam. She removed her latex gloves and motioned for River to lower her legs from the stirrups.

"What's wrong?" River asked as she scooted herself back up the length of the bed.

"Your cervix is dilated," the nurse responded as she threw the gloves in the rubbish bin and proceeded to wash her hands. "But we are going to give you something that will hopefully reverse that.

"And the bleeding?"

"Well, some form of bleeding isn't uncommon with pregnancy," the Sister explained. "It could be nothing…Meanwhile, let's take a look at the little one just to make sure, shall we?"

The other nurse wheeled the ultrasound machine over as River lifted up her hospital gown.

The machine was turned on, and cold blue gel was squirted on River's round abdomen.

"I've got a heartbeat," the nurse performing the ultrasound said.

"Only one?" River asked, concern making her voice shake. The baby couldn't live with only one working heart…could she?

"Yes," the nurse was confused, "Why? Are you carrying twins?"

"No," River answered, "My baby…she's-"

"A Time Lord," Sister Mira informed her colleague, "with two hearts."

The nurse stared at River with awe. "Impossible."

River smiled faintly.

"You'll have to pardon Sister Kerr," Sister Mira said to River, "She hasn't been with us long; she's not aware of your and your husband's history."

Sister Kerr's head tilted to one side in confusion. "Husband?"

"It's a long story, Sister Kerr," Sister Mira explained, "One that we strive to keep confidential."

"Is she going to be alright?" River inquired.

Sister Mira exhaled. "We are doing our best, Doctor Song. Now please relax, this is the best hospital in the universe. Your nervous energy isn't healthy for the baby."

"But I-"

"Doctor Song, you cannot worry at this time. The fetus doesn't need any more strain."

River exhaled deeply and placed a palm on her forehead, closing her eyes in an attempt to relax. Keeping calm wasn't something she was very good at when it came to her family.

"Would you prefer if I gave you something to allow you to sleep during our further examinations? It would be better for the baby…"

"Is it safe?" River asked, concerned for her baby.

"Of course it is," Sister Mira assured her. She went over to the cabinet, extracted a bottle from the shelf and handed a pill and a glass of water to River.

"It's just a light sedative," she explained with a kind smile, "You'll awaken in a few hours…"

"Alright…" River said. She took the pill and allowed her mind to drift away into a peaceful slumber.

A little while later, River's eyes fluttered open.

"Have you managed to stop the bleeding?" She murmured groggily, still under the influence of the pill.

She felt the smooth palm of Sister Mira on her arm. "It's slowed…You're doing very well. How do you feel now?"

"It's a bit more bearable…" River admitted after scanning her body for pain.

"That's a good sign. We've done all we can for now, we're just going to have to wait and see. All you need to do now is get some more rest, Doctor Song. We will check back soon, but don't hesitate to ring us if you need us."

That was not the answer River wanted to hear, but she obliged anyways, if only for the chance that it could save her child's life.

And so she closed her tired eyes once more.

Suddenly, a sharp, stronger pain in her abdomen jolted her awake. Gasping in discomfort, River managed to press the nurse call button. A few short moments later, Sisters Mira and Kerr entered the room.

"The pain is back. It's worse than before," she explained with a grimace.

"Oh dear," Sister Mira breathed. The nurses immediately began an ultrasound and pelvic exam again to check for the baby's vitals.

River was distraught beyond words. She felt as if her body had betrayed her…nothing could have been worse. But then she heard something even more disturbing: she heard crying coming from outside the room. Freya's crying.

"Please, can you let my daughter in?" She asked quietly, unable to stand the sound.

"Not while we are examining you, Doctor Song," Sister Mira replied. "We need to stabilize the fetus."

"She's crying," River continued, "and if she's crying there's something wrong. If her father can't calm her down…" River chocked back a sob, imagining the worse.

Sister Mira gave in with an agitated sigh and opened the door to the room. "Doctor," she called out the door.

The Doctor entered, holding a crying baby Freya in his arms. Her eyes were a puffy red, her face wet with tears and distorted by mental agony.

"Look, Mummy's here Freya…" he whispered softly, his voice gloomy and devoid of its usual enthusiasm.

"Come here my love," River said, holding her arms out.

Silently, The Doctor passed the crying babe to her mother. She collapsed onto River's chest, her cries resembling screams.

"River." The Doctor 's voice was solemn.

She looked up at her husband. His face was full of sorrow.

"Why is she crying?" she asked.

The Doctor exhaled before he answered. "She has a telepathic connection with…with the baby…"

 _No._ It was a blow to the heart. She closed her eyes woefully. "Oh no no no, my love. Hush. Hush now," she whispered to comfort her daughter, but all the while unable to console herself.

Sister Mira then gave out a sorrowful gasp. River and The Doctor looked to her expectantly. She held blood soaked towels in her hands, cradling something tiny…

River waited with baited breath, hoping with all her being that what she thought had just happened wasn't the truth.

Sister Mira shook her head gravely. "I am so sorry," she whispered, "We did the best we could …"

River could no longer hold back the tears: she had lost her baby. It was her fault. Her body was broken, unsuitable to carry life.

She'd lost a baby whom her daughter had created a close bond with, shared her thoughts, her love, and her happiness of new life. Freya's little sister was gone. Even worse: she had experienced every last painful moment of her sister's existence. That was something entirely too horrible for a child so young to go through.

Her baby. Dead before she was even born.

The Doctor sat next to the bed in a chair, his head in his hands, crying softly. He was absolutely devastated. Freya had shared the baby's thoughts and sensations with him and he couldn't handle it. Loosing another child, and feeling their death…it stirred up more than painful memories…

River clung to Freya, who was still sobbing in her arms, and kissed her softly on the head, their tears mingling together as they cried.

Freya was the only baby River would ever have, and she was determined to love and cherish her to the end of the universe.


	5. Finale

Weeks later, River entered the nursery.

"Good morning, sweetie!" She cooed to her baby girl as she approached the cot.

Freya rubbed her tired eyes and let out a little yawn.

River smiled affectionately. "Let's get you changed, now shall we?" she asked. The baby nodded her head groggily and reached her tiny hands out to her mother, prompting her to lift her up.

River cradled her in her arms, rocking her body slowly as she walked over to the changing table. She gently laid Freya down; the baby kicked her legs and waved her arms with happiness, babbling as she did.

"Alright then," River said as she changed her daughter's diaper, "let's pick you out some clothes!"

River stepped over to the wardrobe and opened a draw. She perused through the clothing; suddenly her face turned grim. She pulled out a pink shirt and held it up. River closed her eyes to try and hold back tears. The shirt read "Universe's Best Big Sister." She had almost forgotten that she had gotten this for Freya. She choked back a sob and crumpled the fabric in her hands.

"Muhma."

River looked up at her daughter. Freya's lip was quivering slightly. "Muhma," she repeated, holding her arms out.

"Freya, did you just-"

"Muhma."

River's sorrow was lightened then. She approached her baby girl, wiping the fallen tears from her cheeks.

"Sweetie, did you just say your first word?"

"Muhma."

River scooped up her daughter and cradled her against her shoulder in a loving embrace.

"Muhma," the infant repeated.

River let a faint smile grace her lips; tears of gratitude mingled with those of sorrow.

"Oh, my sweet girl, I love you so much," River sighed, closing her eyes as she let her cheek rest on her daughter's head.

"Luh too."

"Yes, that's right," River laughed lightly, her heart swelling with pride at her child's exceptional progress, "I love you too."

She kissed her daughter, rocking her softly in her arms.

"Baba…"

"What-" River said, craning her neck back to glace down at Freya. The little girl's face was contorted in thought, her mind straining to utilize her vocabulary.

"Ba-beh…bay-beh…"

"Baby?"

"Bay-beh…luh Muh…"

_Baby loves Mum._

River exhaled deeply, the air stabbing her chest as it exited her body.

"Freya..." she began, but couldn't bring herself to explain any further. How did one tell a child that her sister is dead?

But then, a chubby little hand reached up and landed softly on River's cheek. She gasped as her mind was filled with emotions and fuzzy images…feelings of love, warmth...muffled sounds of laughter, voices…just tiny flashes of senses really, but each and every one so potent and powerful.

River felt Freya remove her hand from her skin; her mouth gaped open at the things her daughter had just shown her.

She could barely believe it: Freya had just relayed the baby's perceptions, her senses.

There was love. So much love. Her baby had felt nothing but love towards her.

The tears came again. River felt as if she'd failed her unborn child. She should have been more careful; maybe then that baby would have had a chance at survival.

Freya stared at her mother, examining her face.

"Muhma…" she called softly, drawing River's eyes to hers. Though so young, they were filled with a deep understanding.

"Bay-beh luh you."

River choked back a sob. She nodded her head in understanding, her lips spreading into a bittersweet smile.

She realized now: Freya wasn't trying to make her feel guilt for losing the baby. No, she was telling her that the baby had loved her; there was nothing but love towards her. No anger, no sorrow…just love.

Freya showed her that the baby forgave her. She had been so happy during her brief existence, that's all that mattered.

It wasn't River's fault. She was loved.

River held her brilliant, beautiful daughter just a bit closer to her chest.

"Thank you," she whispered into her ear. "Thank you."

**The End.**


End file.
